Short Biography

Biography

Early life and career
Gaye was born at Freedman`s Hospital in Washington, D.C.. He was the first son and second eldest of four children to minister Rev. Marvin Pentz Gay, Sr. and schoolteacher/domestic maid Alberta Cooper. Sisters Jeanne and Zeola, younger brother Frankie and Marvin lived in the segregated section of Washington, D.C.`s Deanwood neighborhood in the northeastern section of the city. As a teen, he caddied at Columbia Country Club just outside of D.C. in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Gaye`s father preached in a Seventh-day Adventist Church sect called the House of God, which went by a strict code of conduct and mixed teachings of Orthodox Judaism and Pentecostalism. As a child growing up in his father`s church, Marvin started singing and playing instruments in the choir. During his time in high school, Marvin began listening to doo-wop and joined the DC Tones as a drummer[3]. After dropping out of Cardozo High School, Gaye joined the United States Air Force. After faking mental illness[4], he was discharged because he refused to follow orders.[5]

After dropping out of the Air Forces in 1957, Gaye began his music career in several doo wop groups, settling on The Marquees, a popular D.C. group. With Bo Diddley, The Marquees released a single, "Wyatt Earp", in 1957 on Okeh Records and were then recruited by Harvey Fuqua to become The Moonglows. "Mama Loocie", released in 1959 on Chess Records, was Gaye`s first single with the Moonglows and his first recorded lead. After a concert in Detroit, the "new" Moonglows disbanded and Fuqua introduced Gaye to Motown Records president Berry Gordy. He signed Gaye first as a session drummer for acts such as The Miracles, The Contours, Martha and the Vandellas, The Marvelettes and others, most notably playing drums on The Marvelettes` 1961 hit, "Please Mr. Postman" and Little Stevie Wonder`s live version of 1963 hit, "Fingertips Pt. 2", both singles reached the number one spot of the pop singles chart.

After starting his recording career at Motown, he changed his name from Marvin Gay to Marvin Gaye, adding the `e` to separate himself from his father`s name, to stop ongoing gossip about his sexuality, and to imitate his idol, Sam Cooke, who also added an `e` to his last name. [6] Marvin had wanted to record for the label but Motown president Berry Gordy had apprehensions about recording for the singer due to the fact that Marvin was not used to following orders on what the label wanted for him to do. According to a VH-1 documentary, Marvin`s then-girlfriend and Berry`s sister Anna Gordy, convinced Berry to sign Marvin after Berry agreed to let him record a contemporary pop record of jazz-styled ballads and standards.


Marvin Gaye on the cover of his 1966 album, Moods of Marvin Gaye.
[edit] Early success
Popular and well-liked around Motown, Gaye already carried himself in a sophisticated, gentlemanly manner and had little need of training from Motown`s in-house Artist Development director, Maxine Powell, though the singer did take Powell`s advice on not performing with his eyes closed, as if "to appear that he wasn`t asleep"[7]. In June of 1961, Gaye issued his first solo recording, The Soulful Moods of Marvin Gaye, which was the first album issued by the Motown record label besides The Miracles` Hi... We`re The Miracles Featuring Broadway standards and jazz-rendered show tunes with few rock/R&B-oriented tunes, the record failed to chart. After arg

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